Collapsible container



March 28, 1944.

R. S. M CONNELL COLLAPSIBLE CONTAINER Filed June 18, 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 i M l Ii y e n m.

Patented Mar. 28, 1944 -UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE COLLAPSIBLE CONTAINER Ralph S. McConnell, Portsmouth, Va.

Application June 18, 1942, Serial No. 447,569

4 Claims.

This invention relates to collapsible containers.

An object of this invention is to provide a collapsible container formed of a cylindrical body, removable heads at each end thereof and an improved means for retaining the heads in the body.

Another object of this invention is to provide in a collapsible container an improved head retaining means at one end thereof so that the container may be initially assembled with the lower head in place, and after the container has been filled, the second or upper head may be inserted and then removably locked in position.

A further object of this invention is to provide a collapsible container having elongated liners at one end thereof with the liners grooved on their inner sides to receive a split resilient locking ring, which bears against the outer side of the upper head, and certain ones of the liners having seat forming blocks secured thereto against which the upper head is adapted to engage. The seat forming blocks provide a means for holding the upper head against inward movement so that if loose material is placed in the container and this material is compacted through handling of the container, the upper head will not be loosened and fall inwardly.

A further object of this invention is to provide a container having an improved head which is provided with a pivoted closure so that in certain instances the material may be shaken down to compact the same with both heads in position, and then the closure may be moved to an open position so that additional material may be inserted therein. The pivoted closure also provides a means whereby a portion or all of the material may be removed without taking the container apart.

A further object of this invention is to provide a container which may be formed out of plywood so that it will be light in weight and at the same time strong enough to withstand hard knocks.

A further object of this invention is to provide a container which will collapse to flat form so that it will take up a minimum of space and can therefore be shipped economically in collapsed form for long distances including voyages on ships.

A further object of this invention is to provide a collapsible container which is strong in construction and which embodies a minimum amount of steel or other metal, the container being designed so that it may be used for an indefinite member of trips thereby conserving metal, wood and the labor necessary to construct the container.

With the foregoing objects and others which may hereinafter appear, the invention consists of the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts as will be more specifically referred to and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein is shown an embodiment of the invention, but it is to be understood that changes, modifications and variations of the invention may be resorted to which fall within the scope of the invention as claimed.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a detail top plan partly broken away and in section of a collapsed container constructed according to an embodiment of this invention,

Figure 2 is a sectional view partly broken away taken on the line 2-2 of Figure 1,

Figure 3 is a fragmentary plan view of the side wall or body in collapsed position,

Figure 4 is a fragmentary view of the outside of one end of the container, and

Figure 5 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 1.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral Hidesignates generally the side wall or body of a cylindrical container, constructed according to an embodiment of this invention, which is formed of a plurality of elongated staves H. The staves H are formed of plywood being in the present instance formed of an outer ply l2, an inner ply I3 and an intermediate ply I l. The staves l l have secured to the lower ends thereof inwardly projecting liner members l5 which are secured to the inner sides of the staves H by fastening devices IS in the form of nails or the like which are clinched at their outer ends.

The liners l5 are also formed of plywood and the liners I 5 form a head retaining seat on their inner edges against which a disc-shaped bottom head I1 is adapted to engage. The head I1 is also formed of plywood and in order toprovide a means whereby the head I! may be held against inward movement, I have provided a plurality of circumferentially spaced apart inner head retaining blocks l8 which are secured by fastening devices l9 to the inner sides of certain of the staves II.

The outer edges of the head retaining blocks 18 form with the inner edges of the liners I5 a groove 20 within which the outer edge portion of the bottom head I1 is adapted to engage. The body or side wall I0 is formed as a single section which is split longitudinally so that in collapsed form the body I0 may be disposed in fiat form as shown in Figure 3. The staves, l I 'atthe lower ends are secured by fastening devices 21 to a lower bend- 28 are detachably secured together by means of a headed pin 3| which engages through the aligned barrels 29 and 38. The staves II at their upper ends have secured to the inner sides thereof upper liner members 32 which are secured to the staves H by fastening devices 33. The liner members 32 are substantially longer than the liner members |5 so that the outer edge portion of an upper head 34 is adapted to engage against the lower end portion of each liner member 32. The diameter of the upper head 34' is substantially equal to the circle described by the liner members 32, whereas the diameter of the lower head I! is substantially equal to the inner diameter described by the staves Certain of the liner members 32 are formed with inwardly extending extensions 35 which project inwardly from the inner side of the upper head 34 and head retaining blocks 36 are secured by fastening devices 31 to the inner sides ofthe extensions 35. The inner side of the head 34 is adapted to engage on the outer end or edge portion of the several blocks 36. e

The liner members 32 are formed of plywood and in order to provide a means whereby the upper head 34 may be releasably retained or locked against the blocks 36 so as to close the upper end of the container I8, I have provided a groove or keeper 38 which is formed in the liner members 32 between the ends thereof. The groove 38 in the present instance extends through two of the three plies of the liners 32, as shown in Figures 2 and 5, and a split annular fiat head looking or retaining ring 39 is adapted to removably engage in the grooves 38 of the liners 32. The head retaining or looking member 39 has an inner diameter substantially less than the outer diameter of the upper head 34 thereby forming an inwardly projecting flange overlapping the outer side of the upper head 34.

In this manner the head 34 is releasably locked between the split ring 39 and the blocks 36. The head 34 is formed centrally thereof with an opening 40 and a closure 4| engages against the outer side of the head 34 and overlies the opening 40. The opening 40 is preferably round, whereas the closure 4| may be square as shown in Figure 1.

The closure 4| is also formed of plywood and is releasably secured to the head 34 by means of a pair of hinge members 42 which have one leaf thereof secured to blocks 43 fixed to the head 42 and have the other leaf thereof secured by fastening devices 44 to the outer side of the closure 4|. The opposite side of the closure 4| is detachably secured to the head 34 by means of a single hinge member 45. The hinge member 45 has one leaf thereof secured as by fastening devices 46 to the outer side of the closure 4|, and the other leaf of th hinge member 45 is secured to a block 41 which is fixed to the outer side of the head 34. The hinge members 42 and 45 each include a headed pintle 48 which may be withdrawn from the barrels of the hinge so that the closure 4| may be either completely removed or are frictionally held against endwise movement.

If desired, however, a cotter pin or wire may be extended through an opening formed in each pintle 48 at the end thereof opposite from' the head.

In the assembly of the container H], the body or side wall is initially disposed in fiat form and may be bent in circular form around the lower head I! which is engaged between the blocks l8 and the lower liners l5. The coupling members 21 and 28 may then be connected together by the headed pintles 3|. The upper head during the initial filling of the container is removed and after the container is filled the upper head 34 with the closure 4| in closed position may be slipped inside the liners 32 until the inner side of the upper head 34 rests against the outer edges of the head retaining blocks 36. The split looking ring 39 may then be inserted in the grooves 38 formed in the upper liners 32. The upper head will thus be releasably locked in the container and if the material should pack down in the container so as to leave an open space in the upper end, the head 34 will not slip inwardly due to the head retaining blocks 36. If it is desired to additionally fill the container due to the packing of the material under agitation or the like. the closure 4| may be moved to an open position and the additional material discharged into the container through the opening 49.

By constructing the container hereinbefore described out of plywood, this container may be made of lighter material than containers at present in use or available and by forming the body H] in such a manner that the body may be collapsed to flat form, the empty container may be shipped at a lower freight cost due to the light weight, and also due to the small amount of space occupied by the collapsed container. These containers being strong in construction can be used for an indefinite number of shipments of material thereby conserving the wood and metal forming the container and also conserving labor necessary to construct the container. The conservation of labor arises from the fact that this container is capable of being reused for an inindefinite number of shipments whereas containers at present available are used for only one shipment. The staves may be so constructed as to provide a closed side wall or body portion so as to prevent any moisture from entering the container, or if desired, the staves may be spaced apart a slight distance to provide for air entering the interior of the container.

In the assembly of the body In, the pins 38 are adapted to be frictionally held against endwise movement in th barrels 29 and 3950 that in ing or locking ring 39 and will provide for the complete collapse of the container in a single operation with the simultaneous removal of the material disposed therein.

What I claim is:

l. A collapsible container comprising a cylindrical side wall formed of staves, inwardly projecting head retaining liners at each end of said side wall, a disc-shaped head at one end of said side wall bearing against the inner edge of an adjacent liner and having a diameter equal to the inner diameter of said side wall, a plurality of head retaining blocks fixed to the inner side of said side wall and bearing against the inner side of the said head, a second head for the opposite end of said container having a diameter equal to the inner diameter of the adjacent liner, retaining blocks for said second head carried by certain of said liners and disposed inwardly of said opposite end, the liners at said opposite end having a groove on the inner side thereof, and a split head securing ring engageable in said groove and forming an inwardly projecting head retaining flange.

2. A collapsible container comprising a longitudinally split cylindrical body formed of staves, split bendable bands secured to said staves, interengaging connectors at the opposite ends of said bands, means detachably securing adjacent connectors together, upper and lower liners fixed to each stave on the inner side thereof, a lower head in said body engageable against the inner ends of said lower liners, lower head retaining blocks fixed to certain of said staves upward from the lower ends thereof and upwardly from said lower liners, certain of said upper liners being longer than said lower liners and each of said upper liners having a groove on the inner side thereof inwardly from the upper end, upper head retaining blocks fixed to the inner sides of said longer upper liners inwardly of said grooves, an upper head engageable on said latter blocks and having a diameter equal to the diameter of the circle formed by the inner sides of said upper liners, and a fiat split resilient head locking ring seating in the grooves of said upper liners and bearing against the outer side of said upper head, said ring forming an inwardly projecting flange overlapping the outer portion of said upper head.

3. A collapsible container comprising a longitudinally split cylindrical body formed of staves, split bendable bands secured to said staves, interengaging connectors at the opposite ends of said bands, means detachably securing adjacent connectors together, upper and lower liners fixed to each stave on the inner side thereof, a lower head in said body engageable against the inner ends of said lower liners, lower head retaining blocks fixed to certain of said staves upward from the lower ends thereof, certain said upper liners being longer than said lower liners and each of said upper liners having a groove on the inher side thereof inwardly from the upper end, upper head retaining blocks fixed to the inner sides of said longer upper liners inwardly of said grooves, an upper head engageable on said latter blocks and having a diameter equal to the diameter of the circle formed by the inner sides of said upper liners, a fiat split resilient head locking ring seating in the grooves of said upper liners and bearing against the outer side of said upper head, said ring forming an inwardly projecting flat flange overlapping the outer portion of said upper head.

, 4. A collapsible container comprising a longitudinally split cylindrical body formed of lamihated staves, split bendable bands secured to said staves, interengaging connectors at the opposite ends of said bands, means detachably securing adjacent connectors together, upper and lower liners fixed to each stave on the inner side thereof, a lower head in said body engageable against the inner ends of said lower liners, lower head retaining blocks fixed to certain of said staves upward from the lower ends thereof, certain of said upper liners being longer than said lower liners and each of said upper liners having a groove on the inner side thereof inwardly from the upper end, upper head retaining blocks fixed to the inner sides of said longer upper liners inwardly of said grooves, an upper head engageable on said latter blocks and having a diameter equal to the diameter of the circle formed by the inner sides of said upper liners, and a fiat split resilient head locking ring seating in the grooves of said upper liners and bearing against the outer side of said upper head, said ring forming an inwardly projecting fiat flange overlapping the outer portion of said upper head.

RALPH S. McCONNELL. 

